In the 1970s, empty discarded fuel containers from military jects landed in Noatak National Preserve. Rangers started a campaign to get these scrapped pods out of the wilderness. Over several years they removed all the fuel pods and recycled 10 tons of valuable aircraft aluminum.

Dan Stevenson and Richard Kemp scout a backcountry landing strip to determine length and look for obstacles that would hinder a smooth landing or take off. N695AC is a Scout aircraft used on many backcountry missions in Noatak National Preserve.

Pilots Richard Kemp (seated), Mike Wade, and Dan Stevenson discuss flight protocols for backcountry landings. The red Scout and blue/white Cessna 185 are sitting on the Kelly gravel bar near the confluence of the Kelly and Noatak Rivers. This gravel bar is a good landing site after the spring floods recede on the Noatak River.

Beach ridges created by years of wave action during storms can be seen as parallel lines in the fall vegetation covering the old gravel. People have lived and traveled on this beach to hunt sea mammals for 5000 years.
Aerial view of beach ridges on a coastline

5000 years of accumulated beach ridges show up well as concentric curved lines in the light of the summer sun. The Arctic Ocean is on the left and Krusenstern Lagoon is on the right. Low angle sunlight makes the wetlands and ridges glow. Aerial view of beach ridges and wetlands

The last bit of rotted sea ice melts on the shore of Cape Krusenstern in early June. Wall tent frames in the background are locations of traditional summer subsistence camps. Chunks of sea ice along a shoreline

It might have been easy to tread on these 4 camouflaged eggs nestled in the tundra because they are small and very hard to see. Shorebirds build shallow nests on the ground and trust that they won't be spotted by predators.
Close view of four spotted eggs.

Pilots Richard Kemp (seated), Mike Wade, and Dan Stevenson discuss flight protocols for backcountry landings. The red Scout and blue/white Cessna 185 are sitting on the Kelly gravel bar near the confluence of the Kelly and Noatak Rivers. This gravel bar is a good landing site after the spring floods recede on the Noatak River. 3 Pilots standing next to red plane

Pilots Richard Kemp (seated), Mike Wade, and Dan Stevenson discuss flight protocols for backcountry landings. The red Scout and blue/white Cessna 185 are sitting on the Kelly gravel bar near the confluence of the Kelly and Noatak Rivers. This gravel bar is a good landing site after the spring floods recede on the Noatak River.

Dan Stevenson and Richard Kemp scout a backcountry landing strip to determine length and look for obstacles that would hinder a smooth landing or take off. N695AC is a Scout aircraft used on many backcountry missions in Noatak National Preserve.